Excavating-machine



0. G. PETERSEN.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATLQN F.|L ED APR. 7.. 1914,

Patented May 18, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES: Q I

i 60%; M Y masfl f4 O. G. PETERSEN.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 18, 1920.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY.

QLUF G. PETERSEN, 0F SOMERSET, KENTUCKY.

EXGAVATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMay 18, 1920.

Application nlea a ru 7. 1914. I serm'xo. 880,188.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLUF G. PETERSEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'residin at Somerset in the county of Pulaski and tate ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inExcavating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in excavating apparatus,and the objects and nature of the invention willbe readily understood bythose skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation ofthe accompanying drawing illustrating what I now believe to be thepreferred embodiment or mechanical expression of my invention from amongother formations, arrangements and constructions within the spirit andscope of the invention.

An object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled or autoscraper for use bycontractors and others in conducting engineering worksuch as railroad excavating and the like, with the end in-view ofexpediting such work and thereby reducing the cost thereof. c

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved scraper orscoop as a most desirable substitute for the animal or cable drawntilting scrapers or scoops commonly employed in excavati'ng' work bycontractors and others.

A further object of the invention is to provide an auto scraper or scoophaving the 1 necessary traction and power to drive its cutting edgeforward into the material to be excavated and thereby automatically loadthe scoopas the same is advanced by its owupower, and to move themachine back from the work and to the scoopxdumping or dischargingstation without turning the machine around or reversing the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain novelarrangements, combinations and constructions whereby a highlyefiicientand advantageous auto scraper will be roduced.

he .invention consists. in certain novel features in construction and incombinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forthhereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying draw- Figure 1, is a somewhatdiagrammatical top plan view of an auto scraper in accordance with myinvention.

plan and side views of the scraper or bucket 1 element.

5, is a diagrammatical longitudinal vertical sectional view of the body,and the scraper element and its controlling and actuatlng devices beingomitted.

Fig. 6, is a diagrammatical cross section through the body and scraperelements.

My invention contemplates the provision of a caterpillar-tread-supportedand ropelled body carrying its own power plant and supporting anexcavatin scoop or scraper arran ed on and pro ecting forwardly from t ebodyand driven into the materlal to be excavated to load the scoop bythetravel of the treads along the ground in propelling the machineforwardly, and carried back for dumping or discharge, by the movement ofthe machine along the ground in the opposite direction.

In the particular example selected for explaining the broad features ofthe invention, I have diagrammatically indicated a body 1, a pair ofcaterpillar treads 2; front and rear wheels 3, 4, for said treads; adrive shaft or axle 6,-for the rear wheels 4; a gear box 5, any suitablepower plant such as internal combustion engine 7; a scoop or scraper 8;super-structures 9, rising from the body at opposite sides of the scoopand providing upwardly and rearwardly inclined uide or runways 10, fortrunnions 11-, pro]ecting from the opposite sides of the scoop; oneormore hoistingcables 12, applied to said trunnions and actuated by oneor more hoisting drums 13, carried by the body and adapted to beactuated by said engine; a hoisting drum 14, adapted to be driven bysaid engine and arranged to actuate a cable 15, whereby rocks and largebodies can be drawn into the scoop; an o erators seat 16; andcontrolling evers 1 arranged conveniently accessible to the op eratorwhen in said seat.

Any suitable body can be provided, supported and propelled by one ormore caterpillar treads, and carrying and driving any suitable scoop orscraper, although in the strongly constructed approximately horizontallongitudinal casing or box 1, rounded or curved downwardly at the top ofits rear end with opposite side longitudinal upf standing vertical rigidplates or flanges 18, projecting forwardly beyond the transverse line ofthe front end of the box and having outturned or overhanging toplongitudlnal flanges to form guards over and to the front and rear ofthe caterpillar treads 2.

I show a pair of similar parallel caterpillar or elongated endlesstraveling machine supporting and propelling treads 2, arrangedlongitudinally ofthe body at the outer longitudinal sides of thevertlcal walls or plates 18, and beneath the top flanges thereof andextending approximately throughout the lengths of said walls and hencepreferably of greater length than the box 1, and preferably so arrangedthat the body will be carried comparatively close to the'ground. V

The front ends of the treads receive wheels 3, while the rear ends ofthe treads recelve the driving wheels 4, actuated by shaft or axle 6,and in the example illustrated, this axle 6, extends transverselythrough the rear end of the box 1 and the driving power can be'appliedto the wheels 4:, direct or through the axle 6, or in any other suitablemanner.

The body is provided with a power plant arranged at any desirablelocation on or about the body and this plant can embody one or moresuitable motors. In the example illustrated, I diagrammatically indicatea motor 7 such as an internal combustion engine arranged within the boxand means, such as 5, whereby said motor can be operatively connectedwith axle 6, to drive the wheels 4.

Any suitable design or type of caterpillar tread can be employed, andasthe construction, control, operation and driving of such treads arewell understood by those skilled in the art, have not deemed itnecessary to herein specifically illustrate and describe a form of suchtreads, and controlling and driving or actuating mechanisms therefor.

It is sufiicient to say that the controlling and driving mechanismsdiagrammatically indicated, include means whereby the treads can besimultaneously rotated in the proper direction to propel the machineforwardly, and also whereby said treads can be simultaneously rotated inthe opposite direction to propel the machine rearwardly, and also chinearound and in steering the same, or

if possible whereby the two treads may be caused to simultaneouslytravel in opposite directions in steering or turning the machine around,and also whereby the two treads \can be thrown into and out of gear withthe power plant or engine to start and stop the movement of the machine.

The scraper, bucket or scoop 8, is arranged on and longitudinally ofsaid body, and when in operation ordigging position projects forwardlyin longitudinal downward continuation thereof and at its front endterminates in the transverse depressed front edge 19, located at anadvanced position with respect to the body andi'ts box and depressedbelow the plane of the lower or ground ,engaging longitudinal plies ofthe two machine supporting and propelling treads, and preferablyequipped with parallel spaced for wardly-projecting rigid digging ordredger teeth 20.

The bucket or scoop is preferably open at the top and at its front andrear ends and consists of longitudinal vertical side walls extendingapproximately throughout the length of the scoop and a bottom or floorextending throughout the length of the scoop, at its front forming thetransverse cutting edge 19, and inclining upwardly and rearwardlytherefrom throughout the greater portion of the length of the scoop, andat its rear end 21, preferably, inclined upwardly and rearwardly overtherear end of the body for the purposes hereinafter mentioned.

The bottom of the scoop approximately conforms to the top of the bodyand the width of the scoop is preferably greater than the width of thebody box so that the scoop when in operative position rests on the topflanges or overhangs of the vertical side walls 18, and hence the scoopwhen in operative position fits down between the upright walls 18, anddepends between the extended front ends thereof in advance of the frontend of the box and rests on the inclined longitudinal top wall of thebox approximately throughout the length and breadth of said wall. Thelongitudinal bottom edge portions of the scoop are hence elevated toform bottom recesses receiving the walls 18, and their top flanges,although my invention is not so limited.

The scoop is suitably supported on the body so that forward movement ofthe bod when the scoop is in operative position, wi 1 drive the frontdigging end of the scoop into the earth and cause the front end of thescoop to scrape the earth to a certain depth and deflect the layer ofearth thus removed and cause the same to travel upwardly and rearwardlyon the floor of the scoop as the .machine continues to advance to fillor load that it will automatically load itself on the forward movementofthe machine, and will retain its load while the machine is backed fromthe cut or excavation to the refuse or load discharging position, and sothat'the scoop can then be tilted upwardly and rearwardly to dischargethe load from its rear end and beyond the rear end of the body.

In the particular example illustrated, the scoop is arranged between apair of rigld vertical frames 9, erected on, risin from, and rigid withthe opposite longitudinal edge portions of the body beyond the sidewalls of the scoop, for instance on the top overhangs of walls 18, andrigidly supporting beams or bars 22, formin the runways or slots 10,arranged longitu inally of the machine and inclining upwardly andrearwardly from their front ends to their rear ends, to receive, guideand support the horizontal trunnions 11, rigid with the front portionsof the side walls of the scoop and projecting laterally therefrom.

The rear end ortion-of the scoop is an ranged between t e elevated rearuideways that rise from the rear portions of the overhangs or guards 18,and said guideways receive trunnions 28, projecting laterally from thescoop sides, approximately in the line of the fulcrum on which the scooprocks when dumping. These trunnions 28, prevent the scoop tilting toelevate its rear end when starting to di and also travel in the curvedtrunnion gui cs 25, when the scoop is being dumped to guide and steadysaid rear end, although all features of my invention are not limited tosuch guiding arrangements.

Suitable means are provided to receive th thrust of the scoop whileexcavating an loading and to retain the trunnions at the low closedfront ends of said runways. For instance, for this purpose, I showwedges, or stop or thrust blocks 23, removably traversing the bars 22,and the runways thereof behind the trunnions 11. These blocks can beinserted in vertically arranged holes in said bars so as to traverse theslots or runways behind the trunnions and lock them against rearwardmovement; These blocks can be lifted or knocked from said holes when thescoop is to be dumped and thereby leave the slots or runwaysunobstructed to permit the free rearward travel of the trunnionstherein.

If so desired, a longitudinal series of spaced transverse holes can beprovided through the lower portions of the beams 22. to removablyreceive several stop blocks 23 (see Fig. 2) so that the trunnions 11,can he held between sets of said blocks in rear of the front closed endsof the guideway 11, for the purpose of holding the scoop in differentpositions, although my invention is not so limited.

The pull or hoisting cables 12, extend up- Wardly from the hoisting drumor drums 13, to pu leys 24," mounted at the rear upper portions of theframes 9, and from thence said cables extend downwardly and forwardlyapproximately longitudinall of the runways 10, to the trunnlons 11. ihearrangement of the runways is such that when the hoisting drums startto work winding up the cables 12 (after the stop or thrust blocks 23,have been removed) the scoop will be rocked to lift its front end whilethe scoop is being bodily and rearwardly movedlongitudinally to projectits rear end the desired distance beyond the rear end of the body." Whenthe scoop has reached the desired rearward position, continued operationof the winding or hoisting drums tilts the scoop vertically to thedumping position approximately as indicated by dotted lines Fig 2,discharge the contents of the scoop from the rear end thereof at a pointrearwardly beyond the rear end of the body.

During this operation, the scoop rocks on its rear end portion,fulcruming on the top surface of the rear end portion of the body,between the rear vertical fixed guides 25, rising from the rear endportion of the body at the opposite side walls of the scoop when inelevated position. The upwardly deflected rear end portion 21, of thefloor of the scoop forms the rear end portion of the scoop of a rockershape to permit the longitudinal and tilting movements of the scoop,approximately as described, while the closed upper rear end of therunway 10, limits the upward tilting movement of the scoop.

In the particular example illustrated, the lower front portions of therunways 10, extend rearwardly at a less angle of inclination than theremaining portions of said runways for the purpose of moving the scooprearwardly as it is being brought approximately to a horizontalposition, preparatory to tilting and dumping'the scoop.

The runways guide the scoop in its dumping and return movements underthe control of the hoisting ca-blesand drums. However, I do not wish tolimit the broad features of my invention to a rearwardly tilting dumpingscoop, nor do I wish to limit my invention involving a dumping scoop tothe particular controlling and guiding mechanisms disclosed. When themachine is to be propelled by its endless traveling treads, with outexcavating, the scoop can be held approximately in the horizontalposition with its front digging end elevated above the ground.

The front end of the scoop in advance of the treads and body of themachine, preferably flares laterally or enlarges in Width forwardly toits cutting edge, so that the length of said cutting edge isapproximately greater than the extreme width of the machine in rear ofsaid edge, whereby the scoop will excavate a cut or path in which themachine can travel.

If so desired, the rear end of the scoop can be providedwith a'normallyclosed end gate or swinging door.

Those skilled in the art will understand the advantage of providingmeans for pulling or hauling rocks, stumps, or other large bodies intothe scoop for transportation to the dump, and hence I have provided thewinding drum 14, for actuating the cable 15, which extends upwardlytherefrom at one side of the machine to a pulley 29, carried by thesuperstructure 9, from which the cable can extend forward to perform itswork.

The dotted lines 5, indicate gearing and clutches for actuating andcontrolling the endless traveling treads and also gears and clutches foractuating'and controlling the windingdrums 13, and 14, or a case or boxcontaining such gears and clutches, and the levers 17 accessible to theoperator on his seat 16, are provided for controlling the variousclutches and shiftable gears as will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art.

By combining a self loading excavating scoop or bucket with a selfpropelled body having a caterpillar tread for propelling andtransporting the scoop, I have produced a combination of great utilityin the excavating art.

By'this combination a comparatively inexpensive, auto scraper can beproduced capable ofsuccessful operation along uneven surfaces and inrough ground and utilizing the well known advantages of a scoop orscraper as well as the well known advantages such as great traction andpower and low speed of the, caterpillar tread. The caterpillar tread canbe successfully utilized to drive the scoop-into and force the sameahead in the ground for automatically filling the scoop and then'forbacking the scoop out of the cut andto the dumping or dischargingposition. Byemploying this combination, machines of sufliciently largesize can be em loyedto carry their own power plants an to utilizescrapers or scoops of great capacity.

It is'evident fications and variations might be resorted to, thatfeatures might be added, and elements omitted, without departing fromthe spirit that: various changes, modi- I and scope of my invention andhence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosure hereof.

, Desiring to protect my invention in the broadest manner legallypossible, what I claim is 1. The combination of a low horizontal bodyprovided with longitudinally arranged endless driving treads with framesmounted upon said body and extending vertically therefrom, guidesextending rearwardly and upwardly from the forward end of said body tothe top of said frames and guides at the extreme rear of said body, ascoop adapted to move in said guides from filling to dischargingpositions and means for actuating said scoop.

2. A device of the character substantially as described, comprising abody, caterpillar treads arranged parallel and longitudinally along saidbody, actuating means for said treads, frames upon said body carryingguides extending downwardly to the front thereof, guideways at the rearof said body, a scoop extending forwardly of said body, said scoopprovided with two sets of trunnions the forward set adapted to run inthe front guideways, and the rear set in the rear guideways, and meansfor actuating said scoop from forward filling position to rearwarddischarging position.

3. The combination of a body provided with longitudinally arrangedtraction treads, said body provided with guards over said treads,.scoopguiding means mounted upon said body with a scoop carried by said meansand free to move therein, said scoop in normal filling positionprotruding forwardly from said body and provided with shoulders restingupon and slidable over said forward traction guards.

4. An auto-scraper consisting of a caterpillar tread tractor havinga.low-down body in combination with a horizontally-disposedload-carrying scraper arranged longitudinally of the body and rockablevertically thereon on a shifting fulcrum and having an advanceddepressed cutting edge, said scraper having a rear discharge end adaptedto discharge the contents of the scraper beyond the rear endof thetractor.

5. An excavating machine consisting of a self propelled tractor having alow-,down body, a vertically tiltable scraper arranged on andlongitudinally of the tractor body and directly supported thereby andhaving an advanced depressed front cutting edge and a rear dischargeend, means whereby said scraper can be locked in digging positionon thebody, and mechanism for longitudinally moving the scraper rearwardlytilting the scraper upwardly and rearwardly to discharge its contentsfrom its rear end at the rear of the body. 1

6. An excavating machine consisting of a body provided withlongitudinally arranged endless traveling treads for supporting andpropelling the body, a self filling scraper arranged on andlongitudinally of the body and of greater length than the length of thebody and consisting of a floor inclined downwardly and forwardly at aslight inclination from thehorizontal to an advanced depressed frontcutting edge, the rear end portion of the floor being inclined u wardlyand rearwardly at the rear end of t e body, said floor having oppositevertical longitudinal side walls, and mechanism for moving said scraperlongitudinally and rearwardly on the body and tilting the same upwardlyand rearwardly on a shifting fulcrum to discharge the contents of thescraper from its rear end.

7. An auto scraper consisting essentially of a self-propelled tractor,in combination with an excavating and load carrying scraper arrangedlongitudinally of and supported and propelled by said tractor androckable vertically thereon on a shifting fulcrum to depress its rearportion and elevate its front portion when dumping, and means carried bythe tractor for thus rocking said scraper, said scraper beingconstructed and arranged with respect to the tractor to excavate andload at its front end in advance of the tractor under the pushing forceof the advancing tractor and to discharge at its rear end at the rear ofthe tractor and to provide an elongated substantially horizontal loadcarrying space of substantial capacity between its said front and rearends.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLUF G. PETERSEN.

Witnesses:

EDNA MAE PEOKENPAUGH, ESTELLE B. PETERSEN.

